Is there a letter (from the AGIF State Leadership) stating, that Mr. Bob Ortiz is the rightful commander of the Founding Chapter?

April 25, 2007

Dear Dan Sandoval,

It is with great concern we bring this matter to your attention. The American GI Forum Dr. Hector P Garcia Founding Chapter remains divided. Is there a letter (from the AGIF State Leadership) stating, that Mr. Bob Ortiz is the rightful commander of the Founding Chapter? Citing this letter, Mr. Ortiz is removing chapter members from committees they were appointed to serve on. . In July 2006 the founding chapter underwent various sanctions for non-compliance with AGIF directives and remains in dispute with regard to financial records.

the suspension was a result of a failure to provide requested documents.

Last July, a GI Forum panel found former founding chapter commander Ram Chavez guilty of misconduct and expelled him from the national organization.

Despite the expulsion, the founding chapter re-elected him in August.

The charges against Chavez stemmed from a 2002 complaint in which a former member of the chapter stated he was expelled after he requested financial records from Chavez.

The documents included information about $50,000 paid to the chapter after a 1999 lawsuit filed by Dr. Xico Garcia, brother of civil rights activist and GI Forum founder Dr. Hector P. Garcia.

Vallecillo said the national board shifted the burden of producing the documents to the founding chapter's members.

Hector P. Garcia Chapter Vice Commander Bob Ortiz said the chapter is conducting an internal audit of bank records to assess the group's financial history.

According to a letter sent from the national organization to Ortiz, a chapter is required to turn in all financial records requested for IRS reporting purposes. CCCT

In late July 2006 the Chapter entered into an agreement with the AGIF state leadership.

GI Forum charter renew for local chapter

By Anthony Martinez Beven/Caller-Times
July 29, 2006

After nearly a two-week suspension, the charter of the local chapter of the American GI Forum was restored Saturday evening.

"For the good and the welfare of this organization, we have entered into an agreement with the state of Texas leadership and the suspension has been lifted," said Tony Morales, national commander for the GI Forum and chairman of the organization board. CCCT

In the agreement financial records were to be turned over to the national office for tax purposes.

Requested documents include information about $50,000 paid to the chapter after a 1999 lawsuit filed by Dr. Xico Garcia, Dr. Hector P. Garcia's brother.

Cecilia Garcia Akers, Dr. Hector P. Garcia's daughter and a lifetime member of the founding chapter, said the financial documentation will be handed over to complete an IRS audit. CCCT

The finances of the local founding GI Forum chapter, with which the foundation is affiliated, were also a point of contention in late July, when the national organization suspended the chapter's charter for nearly two weeks for failing to turn over financial documents. CCCT

State Representative Juan Garcia has requested the Attorney General's intervention / investigation into this matter regarding Ram Chavez and those in the founding chapter loyal to Mr. Chavez.

Attorney calls for an audit; chairman says fundraisers, audit are under discussion

By Anthony Martinez Beven Caller-Times
August 11, 2006

Local attorney Juan Garcia III resigned as a board member of the nonprofit National Archives and Historical Foundation of the American GI Forum on Thursday, citing a lack of oversight for the organization's finances.

Garcia made his decision after board Chairman Amador Garcia refused an audit of the foundation's finances. CCCT

Bob Ortiz AKA Juventino Ortiz remains in obtusion to the unity of the founding chapter as he continues to thwart decisions handed down from the AGIF State Officials. Do these actions honor the agreement?

"For the good and the welfare of this organization, we have entered into an agreement with the state of Texas leadership"

Oscar Guerra was made Commander of the founding chapter by Dr C.P. Garcia (AGIF State Commander(TX)) in a decision issued on (September 29, 2006). Bob Ortiz refuses to recognize the decision and continues to posture as the Founding Chapter's Official Commander.

In the interest of our namesake founder Dr Hector P Garcia and the good name of the AGIF it is imperative this conflict be remedied. Another factor in your consideration; I understand the membership of Bob Ortiz is not being renewed by the Founding Chapter. We ask that this board support the AGIF State Commander in the interest of unity and growth.

illegal election

Is it true, the AGIF of Texas, Inc., filed charges against Mr. Bob Ortiz?
Was he unanimously expelled?
It is also maintained, (that) Mr. Bob Ortiz is not a lifetime member.

The appointment of Agnes Horne to the Nueces County Commission Community Action is it not in violation? Doesn't this position require a member of the Dr Hector P Garcia chapter be appointed?

Why won't the bank wont release money to the rightful commander Oscar Guerra?

Respectfully,

Jaime Kenedeno

WHEREAS, The American GI Forum, one of the country's leading

Local Members of the American GI Forum Richard Rocco Chapter (Tony Jimenez (Secretary / Treasurer), TioFilo R De los Santos (Sargeant At Arms), Willie Davila of the Dr. Hector P Garcia Chapter (Founding Chapter) and AGIF National Civil Rights Director Joe A Ortiz were recognized at the State Capital in Austin last week.

To view presentation click on this link and ff or drag time indicator to 3:49:45. Press play from that point the presentation last about 1 minute.

H.R. No. 988

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, The American GI Forum, one of the country's leading

civil rights organizations, was founded by Mexican American

veterans in the aftermath of World War II; and

WHEREAS, Mexican Americans have long served with valor in the

armed forces of this country, compiling an exceptional record of

heroism; in the Second World War alone, 12 Mexican Americans, 9 of

them from Texas, earned the Medal of Honor, becoming the nation's

most decorated minority group in that conflict; on returning home,

however, many Latino veterans found themselves denied benefits that

they had earned under the G.I. Bill of Rights; and

WHEREAS, To redress that injustice, 700 Hispanic veterans,

led by Dr. Hector P. Garcia, founded the American GI Forum in Corpus

Christi on March 26, 1948; successful in its efforts to achieve

equitable treatment from the Veterans Administration, the forum

turned its attention to other veterans' concerns, such as

inadequate hospital care and the lack of Mexican American

representation on draft boards; and

WHEREAS, The forum demonstrated its effectiveness decisively

in 1949, when it intervened to help the family of Private Felix

Longoria, a soldier who had been killed on a volunteer mission in

the Philippines during World War II; when Private Longoria's body

was finally recovered and returned to his home in Three Rivers,

Texas, the local funeral home refused his family permission to use

its chapel for a service; after the forum sought assistance from

members of the Texas congressional delegation, Senator Lyndon

Johnson arranged for the soldier's burial in Arlington National

Cemetery; and

WHEREAS, In the 1950s, the forum began to use the legal system

to combat segregation and other discriminatory practices; forum

lawyers helped to secure a landmark ruling from the U.S. Supreme

Court in Hernandez v. the State of Texas, in 1954, a decision

finding that Mexican Americans were discriminated against as a

class and that they were entitled to protection under the 14th

Amendment; the forum also fought to end separate schooling for

Mexican American children, a practice ruled unlawful in 1957; and

WHEREAS, During that same decade, the forum conducted voter

registration drives, confronted incidents of police brutality,

addressed the problems of migrant workers, and sponsored student

scholarships; and

WHEREAS, The group took the name American GI Forum of Texas on

September 29, 1954, and became a national organization in 1958; Dr.

Clotilde Garcia, Dr. Hector Garcia's sister, founded a women's

auxiliary in 1956, and junior GI forums were also launched in some

areas; and

WHEREAS, Today, the forum embraces more than 500 chapters

across the nation and in Puerto Rico; it continues to support

returning veterans and their communities through such endeavors as

the Veterans Outreach Program, which provides training,

employment, and counseling for veterans in the Southwest, and

Ser-Jobs for Progress (SER), whose affiliates operate employment

training centers and residential and other services in Puerto Rico

and the continental U.S.; and

WHEREAS, For more than half a century, the American GI Forum

has played a vital role in our national life, advancing the cause of

social justice and touching the lives of countless Americans, and

it is indeed deserving of commendation for its exemplary efforts in

furthering the highest ideals of this nation; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas

Legislature hereby honor the American GI Forum on the 59th

anniversary of its founding and extend to all those associated with

this organization sincere appreciation for their outstanding

service; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

prepared for the American GI Forum as an expression of high regard

by the Texas House of Representatives.

Ortiz, Jr.

Herrero

______________________________

Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 988 was adopted by the House on April

13, 2007, by a non-record vote.

______________________________

A Bill by Juan Garcia (no relation) creating a recognition day in honor of Dr. Hector P. Garcia.

Chief Clerk of the House

Bill:

HB 3535

Legislative Session: 80(R)

Primary Author

Garcia

Date Filed

03/09/2007

Joint Authors

Date Signed On

Herrero

03/27/2007

Ortiz, Jr.

03/27/2007

Escobar

03/27/2007

Gonzalez Toureilles

03/27/2007

Coauthors (15)

Date Signed On

Alonzo

04/04/2007

Anchia

04/04/2007

Burnam

04/04/2007

Farias

04/04/2007

Farrar

04/04/2007

Gallego

04/04/2007

Hernandez

04/04/2007

Hochberg

04/04/2007

Lucio III

04/04/2007

Martinez Fischer

04/04/2007

Martinez, "Mando"

04/12/2007

Naishtat

04/04/2007

Noriega, Rick

04/04/2007

Olivo

04/10/2007

Rodriguez

04/04/2007

HB3535

The chair laid out HB3535.

The chair recognized Representative Garcia to explain the measure.

Testimony was taken. (See attached witness list.)

(Representative Hilderbran in chair.)

The chair recognized Representative Garcia to close on the measure.

The bill was left pending without objection.

By: Garcia

H.B. No. 3535

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to creating a recognition day in honor of Dr. Hector P.

Garcia.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 662, Government Code, is

amended by adding Section 662.053 to read as follows:

Sec. 662.053. DR. HECTOR P. GARCIA DAY. (a) The third

Wednesday of September is Dr. Hector P. Garcia Day in memory of the

significant contributions to the Mexican American civil rights

movement of Dr. Hector P. Garcia.

(b) Dr. Hector P. Garcia Day shall be regularly observed by

appropriate ceremonies and activities in the public schools and

other places to properly commemorate the importance of the

contributions made by Dr. Garcia.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.

HB 3535 Witness List

For:

Akers, Cecilia Garcia (Self)

Elliff, Scott (Self)

Loera, Patsy M. (American GI Forum of Texas)

Maline, John (Self)

Ortiz, Joe A. (The American GI Forum)

Saavedra, Rebecca (University of Texas Medical Branch)

Registering, but not testifying:

For:

Castellon, Tomas V. (Self)

Davila, Willie J. (Self)

De los Santos, TioFilo R. (Self)

Jimenez Jr., Tony (Self)

Perez, Larry (Self)

Ramirez, Miguel (Self)

Salinas, Roberto S. (Self)

Sustaita, Manuel (Self)

Utter, Tom (City of Corpus Christi)

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Texas Monthly Web Press: "CHIP is good medicine for Texas children and good for Texas